Love heals all
by moonstar57
Summary: The Criminal Mind team are out on a kidnapping case where they find lots of kids killed and a woman held captive for 20. SHe has been abused horribly during this time. She's who gives the team the clue that leads them to tbe last kidnapped child.


JJ steps up to the microphone, hold up a picture and says, "This girl is five years old, blonde hair, blue eyes, pierced ears. She was last seen wearing a red tank top, red shorts, and red sandals. We need your help to find her." And then Morgan steps up to the microphone and says "I am Derek Morgan of the FBI Behavioral Unit. I know there is someone out there that can help us find Candy Thompson. All you have to do is pick up the phone and dial 555-213-8976- the tip line the cops have set up. Please, please, help us save this little girl." He steps back.

A young woman sitting on the floor of a house, hears Derek's voice one the Tv. Her head snaps up and she can't take her eyes off Derek. The woman has long, very long, white hair. She has a big bruise on her check and bruises all up and down her legs. She has been abused and abused hard.

Suddenly she starts muttering softly to herself, "He said please, please. Never heard a male say please before. And he is the FBI, why that means something to me I don't know. But I'm tired, oh so tired of being in pain, of being here, of doing all the stuff he tells me. But am I tired enough to call 555-213-8976 and risk being beaten to death? I know where an extra cell phone is hidden. And this time I know he has a child before he shows me the dead body." She stands up still watching the TV. Then she makes a decision. Turns off the TV and heads into a nearby room.

The Bau team is inside the police station taking calls on the hot line. This case has been a nightmare from the start with no clues whatsoever to go on. The girl had been gone for five days; time was running out on her, or had run out on her. Derek was not sure why he said what he did, but he felt it was the right thing to do. And he was sure hoping someone would respond and give them the clues they needed to find Candy.

Derek decided he needed a break so he steps outside for a breath of fresh air. This case, it was just crazy. No clues, no hints, nothing at all to go on. This has been painfully hard for Derek. He is use to lots of action, to moving, to accomplishing something even if it was just breaking down the doors. And Derek did not think it really helped that the little girl's grandmother was an US senator. He knew that was why they were rushed out here so fast. The girl was taken from her home, parents asleep in the next room. The back door had been unlocked, which he has been told several times, it was the norm is this little town. After all, nothing bad ever happens here, everyone leaves their doors unlocked. Well they don't now Morgan thought. They had been taught that safety is relative and that it needs all the help it can get.

Morgan looks up at the mountains above him. Here it was July, and some of those mountains still had snow on them. His eyes went even further up to the night sky; the stars seemed so bright and glorious tonight. Maybe there was a reason to live out here in the middle of nowhere for scenery like this Morgan thought. Then he heard his phone ring and without taking his eyes off the sky he says "Special Agent Derek Morgan." And what he hears on the other line sends all thoughts of scenery out of his mind and makes him rush into the station.

As he slides up next to Hotchner, as he puts the phone on speaker. And they all hear a scared voice say, "She said you could track this phone, you could find me by that. She sent me out in the dark I am so scared. Are you coming for me? Tell me you are. Hurry." Derek says back into the phone, "Is this Candy." "Yes, yes" the voice says. "Hurry" she says. "I am scared. The lady left here and said she needed to go back into the house in case he comes back. So she can st...stal... I don't remember the word she said." Derek replied "Was it stalled?" Out of the corner of his eye he sees Reid take out his phone and then go to the board and write something on the board, coordinates it looked like to him. "Yes that was the word she used. Are you coming to get me?" "Yes," Derek replies then he tells Candy he is giving the phone to a lady who will stay with her as long as it takes. He has to hear what else is going on. JJ takes the phone and wonders off to a quiet place in the room to talk to the little girl and calm her down.

Meanwhile the sheriff is telling Hatcher that the house those coordinates lead to is a place that belongs to the 1st grade teacher Rodney Harrison. He travels every summer, leaves as soon as school is out and comes back for a few days, then leaves again. "He isn't back yet" the sheriff says. "Why we haven't even gone up to that house to question or look for …….."And the sheriff's voice dies off. And the team looks at each other and they may have a big break.

The gear up and are ready to head out to the Harrison place about 20 miles down the main road. Then they were told they would have to turn off the main and go about 40 miles to the house. The sheriff told them that Harrison hardly ever maintained the road up to his house. He just used four wheelers or motorcycles and parked his car by the main road. Derek says, "Sounds like he wants to be isolated and not bothered by people" They are heading out the door when JJ'S grabs Derek's arm, and he hears her tell the phone, "I'll tell him," Then JJ puts the phone next to her chest to muffle it and tells Derek that Candy wants to make sure that Derek knows to make sure to save the pretty lady with the white hair. She's hurt really bad Candy had told JJ. And she Candy is hiding in some bushes in front of the house, Derek mouths "lady" but JJ shakes her head and turns back to the phone and Derek rushes out the door.

On the ride out the people in the vehicle are very quiet, each lost in there own thoughts. Derek thought this was one of the most exciting but scary parts of his job. Rushing to hopefully save someone and take someone bad down. But not knowing for sure what they were facing, that was the hard part to deal with. Especially on a long drive like this one. None of them knew for sure if they would be coming back or what shape they might be in when they did return.

They finally get to the turnoff and head up the road. The sheriff was right, and it was a very bumpy road with trees and plants sometimes blocking there way. It was a dirt road or a path really. Everyone was soon hanging onto something to try to stay upright in their seats.

Hotchner's phone rings. All everyone hears is a "yes, got it, yes, ok." Then Hotchner hangs up the phone and turns to the sheriff and says "when will we be there and can you hurry."

He turns to the other guys. "The unsub came back, Candy heard a vehicle of sorts but she never saw it come up the lane. Candy is still hiding but she hears a lot of yelling and things getting broken."

What about the lady Derek asks. Nothing Hotchner says. They all start gear up mentally for whatever is to come.

Meanwhile in the house, the lady is crumpled on the floor and a man is crouching over her. He hits her a couple of times and then grabs her hair and slams her head in the floor saying "Why, Why, Why did you do this bitch? Why? After all I have done for you these years." Seeing lights on his wall, the suspect knows he has to leave. "He turns to the body that he has been so ruthlessly beating and says" "If somehow you manage to live thru this, remember you are mine and mine alone and I will be back for you. And then I will kill you very, very, very slowly for this." He stands up, kicks the lady really hard in the stomach, and runs to the back door just as the vehicles start to stop out front.

"Reid go find the girl" Hotchner says. "The rest of us will fan out and check everything. Leave no rock unturned. And be careful." They all pile out of the rig with Reid running back behind the vehicle's to the little girl coming out of some bushes with something in her hands. Derek looks around, sees the massive amount of people there, and decides he is going to the house. He is on the steps to the house when everything goes dark. Everyone freezes, then they precede at a much slower pace with flashlights out to see the way.

Derek shines his flashlight through the window and sees what he thinks is a body in the far corner. He takes a step back and then raises his leg and hits the door with all his might. It flies open and about that time he hears the back door being forced open - probably the say way. Then Derek heads cautiously toward the body, sweeping everywhere else for danger.

Derek gets to the body first but at first glance at her he stops. Hotchner coming up on the other side bends down and feels for a pulse. "She's still alive," he says. "You better get an ambulance up here." Before the sheriff says anything, they hear sirens of an ambulance that lets them know help is on its way. Hotchner then tells Derek that a couple of sheriff deputies are trying to find out how the suspect got away. But in the dark……

Derek bends down and gently moves some of the lady's very white hair out of the blood that is pooling on the floor. She looks so young and fragile and it pains Derek to see the bruises that seem to be covering her. He notices a wound on her forehead and a bloody nose and who knows what else. Derek looks up at Hotchner and asks "How can someone do this Hotchner, and why?" Derek looks back down at the motionless woman on the floor. He thinks of his sisters and wonders what he would do if they were the ones laying there. He knows he has to get his mind out of the emotions into what was going on around him. The paramedics rush in and Derek stands up and back away. He then looks to Hotchner and starts to ask ……

Reid comes rushing over with papers in her hand. "Candy is being checked over. But from what I could see she looks ok." He looks down at the woman at his feet and says, "Damn, that looks bad" "What's in your hands?" Derek asks. "Something Candy had" Reid replies. She said the lady gave them to her to give to you. It's sketches of young girls, and" he hesitates, swallows and continues. I think the pictures of dead young girls" Derek looks at a couple of sketches in Reid's hands and turns to Hotchner. "How could this go on and we not know about it?" Derek asks. " There has to be more than 100 sketches here."

Derek looks back at all the sketches Reid has and thinks, what in heaven's name had they stumbled onto? Or maybe he should ask what in Hell's name

Reid went on to say, "There is information on the back of some. Date, City's and I am not sure what else. I think whoever drew these pictures was trying to tell us where these kids came from. I'm going to go call Garcia and then see about catching a ride to town so I can send them to her. I'll also have her start looking for missing girls 4-6 all over the county. And for that lady, maybe her white hair will help identify her. How far back should we go in looking for them?" Hotchner says "10 years" Derek who is now staring at the woman on the stretcher says "more like 20". Hotchner nods and Reid heads off to make his call.

"So he's not here Hotchner?" Derek asks. Hotchner shakes his head and says "We can't search too well in the dark. With all the woods and stuff it is way too dangerous. We'll keep a couple guys to guard the place and also to watch to see if he comes back." Derek shakes his head. "I'm going to the hospital with her then." He has that tone of voice that all of Derek's friends know. The one that says no arguments, this is my decision and I am doing this my way. Hotchner just nods his head wearily and the stretcher heads out the door with Derek following closely behind. Hotchner turns to the sheriff and they make decisions on how to precede.

After getting settled in the ambulance, it took off. Derek says "How is she?" The paramedic is shaken, the condition this woman is in is unbelievable to him. "She's probably got a concussion from the wounds on her head. That cut needs lots of stitches. She is bruised literally from head to toe. No broken bones that I can tell, but I think she has internal bleeding. Other than that I can't say."

The woman on the stretcher suddenly starts to thrash about. The paramedics in a very tense voice tells Derek, "Hold her hand, take to her, hell even sing to her, but calm her down. I can't give her anything for the pain, and moving around will make things a lot worse " Derek does what he is told. As soon as he takes her hand, her eyes fly open. She is staring deep into Derek's eyes, as if she is trying to read his soul. Derek is shook by what he doesn't see in her eyes, They look like dead eyes, nothing reaching them he thought.. Then what little light Derek can see in them goes out. "Is she dead? Derek asking the paramedic anxiously." "No" the paramedic says, "just unconscious again. Which is for the best as her injuries have got to be unbelievably painful?"

The rest of the ride is in silence, or has silent as an ambulance can be. The girl does not regain consciousness again.

They get to the hospital but before they take her in, Morgan takes a picture. He then calls Garcia to see if she can work on finding out whom the girl is. "Rough huh sugar cheeks?"Garcia asks. He says "the worse," and sends Garcia the picture. She tells him "I have started a search on all missing four to six years old, it will take us a hundred years to get through them even with Reid's mind." And she then she asks Morgan "Can you by chance get a fingerprint on the lady you just brought in?" Morgan heads into the hospital to see what he can do. He finds where they are examining the girl and he manages to get a fingerprint. It was hard though, he sees that she is missing a few fingernails. That just makes his skin crawl. What kind of bastard could, that to another human being he wondered? The doctor tells Derek he is almost done examining the woman and he'll be out in a minute to give him his report. Morgan goes outside to send the fingerprint to Garcia. While there he sees, JJ pulls up. She parks, gets out of her rig, and comes up to him. She says, "Candy parents are just now getting to their daughter. They say she is in very good shape considering. And, they don't think she was sexually abused in any way." Why was she taken then?"

Morgan starts to tell JJ about the sketches Reid was given. But he decides not too. Those pictures he thinks to himself are only going to bring horror and pain to them all. And he still didn't know the condition of the woman they brought in. No one knew yet what kind of horrors she might have had done to her. His phone rings, "Anything" he says to Garcia "Wait until you hear this. I know who the lady is." Garcia says. "That was fast" JJ says. Which Garcia replies with, "I know how to work magic, don't you know that by now." Garcia continues. "Having her fingerprint helped. The woman you have is none other than Star Henderson. She was born 1985 in Memphis Tennessee. Her mother died giving birth to her. Her father Melvin raised her. Well until she was five. At that point she was kidnaped and taken from her home, while her dad was asleep in the next room. Just like your girl Candy. And nobody has seen her since, until now." "She was with him for 20 years?" Reid asked. "The unsub had her for 20 years? How did she survive?" Garcia then continued, "But the rest of the story is yet to be told. The reason I needed her fingerprint was because her father was an FBI agent out of Memphis Tennessee. He had her fingerprinted and her prints put on file when she was still a baby." Reid asks "Have you notified her father yet?" Garcia gets a little quiet and says "That's the really sad part. Rose was taken in 1990, 11 months later her father was killed while he was chasing down what he thought was the kidnapper of his daughter. As far as I can tell, there has been no on else to miss her and there is no one to now celebrate that she has been found."

Everyone went silent. What would it be like to not have someone to care about whether you were alive or dead?

Derek told Garcia thanks and hung up the phone. He looked up to see Hotchner looking at him.

"We called it a night on the mountain, a few guys stayed but I think this is one unsub that might get away." "Like hell he will" Derek mutters. Hotchner then continues, " I think we all need to go back to the motel and get some sleep." Derek doesn't say anything, he just turns around and walks back into the hospital and to the waiting room. As he enters it he feels a presence beside him and he knows at least part of the team is with him.

No one else is in the waiting room and they all branch out to chairs and couches and most closed their eyes. Derek didn't know if they were tired and resting or closing their eyes to the horror of the day. Derek knew he couldn't shut his eyes. He knew if he did he would just see the woman. He couldn't stop his mind from thinking about what she went through and how alone she was going to be. And he kept thinking of those cold dead eyes so strange to see on a woman who was alive. What had happened to her to make her eyes so dead? And yet she found it in herself to save Candy. What a woman Derek thought.

Finally after what seemed like hours the doors opened. A doctor walks through. He didn't seem to be surprised to see them. "FBI" he asks? Morgan said "yes and how is she, Star that is? Is she going to pull through?" The doctor said "I have to sit down. I came to this place to get away from all the violence and things that men do to men. This has got to be the worst I have seen in a very long time. " He sits down. Then he looks up at Morgan. "We will have to watch her couple of days; the concussion might still rear its ugly head. I put 20 stitches along her hairline. Why she doesn't have internal bleeding, I will never know. Her stomach is horribly bruised. And I don't think there is an inch on her lower body that is not covered in bruises. Nothing I can do for them but let nature take its course and allow them to heal. It looks like someone took a belt to this woman and beat her over and over again. I mean the bruises are just piled up on one another, it doesn't look like any were allowed to heal before the next set was put on. Nothing I could do about the missing fingernails and missing toenails. Just work on keeping them clean and hope no infections set in. She has cuts both healed and unhealed on her palms and the bottom of her feet. Looks like a razor blade was used for those. I repaired what I could in regards to her body; her mind is going to be a completely different matter." He stands up and says "We will be moving her to room 315 in about 30 minutes and hopefully she will be awake enough to answer your questions. Did you get the SOB that did this to her and took Candy? I haven't had a chance to check Candy yet, her parents said they would bring her in later. But they didn't think she had been sexually abused at least Candy told them, she hadn't. That totally surprises me, The woman has no sign of sexual abuse either. I don't understand that do you?" Just then a nurse stuck her head out the door and said "hurry doctor she's fighting us." The doctor looks at Derek and knowing what had happened in the ambulance says "come with me." They both rush through the doors and into a room where Derek can see that yes indeed the woman was fighting the nurses. However, when she sees him, she stops and just stares up at him. And even though it chills him to see those eyes, (glorious green he thought) he gets beside her and takes her hand, and very gently tells her that she is in a hospital and it is important she not move unnecessarily and that she needs to try and rest. She accepts Derek holding her hand it seems to calm her. "He's my FBI man" she thought. She wasn't sure why she thought that. She had never met the FBI before, heck the only person she knew was Rodney. She closed her eyes and tried to take herself to her special place, the place her mind that she went to get away from the pain and horror of what was being done to her. But now all she could think about were those piercing brown eyes. This could be dangerous she thought to herself. It's all a dream, or something. Next time I open my eyes my master will be here. He would never let anyone take me away. He always promised me that. And in 20 years he never broke, a promise to her. And yet she couldn't resist the feelings the man holding her hand gave her. Her tummy felt funny and was doing flip-flops. Then she realized. She didn't feel pain, none at all. What magic was at work here she thought? It must really be a dream she tells herself and then slowly drifts off. One of the nurses brings in a chair for Derek and whispers to him, "we did give a little pain medicine but with the possibility of a concussion make sure she is up in a half hour." And Derek stares at the woman in the bed and wonders, what the hell is going to happen to you know Star? Will you ever be able to get beyond what has happened to you? Derek lays his head down on the bed still holding Star's hand and he instantly falls asleep.

He comes to a little bit later and when he raises his head, he finds himself looking into those beautiful green eyes that seen no longer look quite so dead. They were the most beautiful green eyes Derek had ever seen. Why her eyebrows and eyelashes are dark, not at all like her hair Derek thinks. He brings himself back to the here and now and tells himself that he is here to catch a killer/ kidnapper, not gaze into a woman's gorgeous eyes.

"How are you feeling" he asks, and Star answers in a quiet, very dead, very unemotional voice, "I need to go back to the mountain. If he finds me gone, he will beat me. I need to go now!" And she struggles to get out of bed. Derek says "Whoa, Whoa," and stands and gently but firmly holds her down. "You are never going back to that mountain. Never, ever, never. Got that?" Star looks at Derek and then in a small, soft, voice that rocks Derek to his soul and says "Am I in heaven?"

Derek laughs a little which seems to startle Star. She isn't use to laughter. Unless it was the evil laughter, he laughed while punishing her. "You are in a hospital," Derek tells her again, slowly letting go of her but watching very closely to make sure she stayed put. "You," and his voice gets angry at the thought of it, "were very hurt when we found you." Star looks up at him and says "I'm really sorry master, please punish me like I deserve for making you angry." "Make me angry, you?" Morgan realizes he has to tone it down somehow, someway, he must be reminding her of him. After a couple of deep breaths Morgan tells her "No I am not angry at you. And believe this, I am not nor will I ever beat you. I promise you that on my life." This pledge, this kindness, Star didn't know what to think. After a few minutes' Star says, "If I am in a hospital I must be off the mountain. That is not good, not good at all. But I have always wondered about a hospital. I have read about them but this is the first one I have seen." She looks all around the room and studies it.

The nurses came in and tell Derek they need to move her to room 315. They shoo Derek out of the room so they could also check Star over to make sure there isn't any bleeding where there should not be. Star just stayed they're, staring at the ceiling and trying really hard, for the first time in a very long time, to not cry.

After Star was settled in her room, the team comes in. In some ways she had touched them all, with her beauty and the courage she showed them in helping Candy. They had happened upon her by chance and not by hard work, but every one of them felt some satisfaction in getting her away from the monster that held her captive for 20 years. Hotchner finally broke the silence with a question, "

Hotchner says "What was he going to do with Candy? We found no evidence of sexual abuse"

Star says, "He takes pictures and movies of them. Dirty ones he told me. Ones that he can sell and get lots of money for." Then she turns to Derek and says, "In the punishment room there are lots of pictures and all the things he used to hurt me with." Derek asked softly, "Where is this punishment room?" Derek looks at Hotchner and then back at Star. He is thinking they missed something they should not have. Star continues, on "The way to it is under the bathtub in the back room. Move the tub move the rug and look for the ....." She shakes her head. "It is the punishment room, full of things to use on me when I am bad and need punished. It's also where I am put when he is gone for a long time." Hotchner tells them all that is too late tonight to go back out tonight, they will check out the punishment room first thing in the morning..

Reid turns back to the woman on the bed and says " What did you do to get sent to the punishment room? And what did he do with the kids after he had all the pictures he wanted."

Star turned to Reid and said, " I would get thrown in the punishment room if I broke any of the rules. Always obey the Master. Never yell especially while being punished. Do not eat until he allows me too. Only eat what he tells me to eat. Never go outside. Never look outside.. " And Reid breaks in. "Never go outside. Did he take you outside?" "No never" Star said. "The first time I remember being outside was when I helped the little girl get out and I showed her where to hide. It really scared me too. But I am not sure what scared me most, being outside or thinking about the beating I would get for helping Candy get away." Then without skipping a beat Star continues "Never turn on the TV or radio. Oh I am so dead. Just like the kids he showed me after he killed them. I never saw them until they were dead, didn't even know there were there. The punishment room is soundproofed, and he would have me chained or locked in my room when the children were there. But with Candy, he forgot to chain me. And when I saw the message on Tv I couldn't ignore it." She got really quiet. "He always made me sketch the dead ones, so he could remember them. And then...." she gulped and got really quiet. "He would make me cut my hand or my foot and rub my blood on them, so the wild animals would find them faster up on the mountain. I didn't want to do it but he made me." Then she looks first JJ in the eyes, then Reid and, then Derek and says " Even if it meant my life for hers, it would have been worth it, don't you think? Saving one was better than none." Then she closes her eyes and makes no more sounds. And the hardened FBI agents take deep breaths and think about how best they could answer that question.

Reid says,"I'm going to go call Garcia and see how it's going in locating any of the kids from the sketches." And Star with her eyes still closed says, "He told me sometimes he would go to a big city and buy the girls. Or steal them from junkies, from people that didn't care. I don't know if the information I wrote on the back was right or not. I just wrote on the back what he wanted me too. Just like a good little girl should. But I always wondering if I was good how come I got beat anyhow?"

As Reid is leaving, a nurse is coming in. "She needs to rest. One of you can stay with her but no more questions or talking OK." After checking the gadgets that are in and around Star, she heads to the door. She turns the light down low and looks back at everyone. "I mean what I say." She says. "No more talking. She needs to gather her strength so she can face this world now." The team except for Morgan turn and head out the door.

Morgan is so confused. And Morgan is never confused, not like this, not with emotions that seem to be engulfing him. On one hand he wants to kill the sob for doing what he did to Star, the next moment and these were the scary emotions, he wants to kiss her and never let her go. He rubs his hand over his head and tells himself he has to get it under control. He has too.

A few minutes more and Star eyes open. "Can I ask you a question FBI Agent Derek Morgan?" And Derek says "Sure, anything."

And Star says very quietly, "My daddy was an FBI Agent like you. I remember that now. But he couldn't save me from Rodney. In fact Rodney told me he killed my daddy. Can you save me from my master Derek? Can you keep him away from me?" and Derek isn't sure how to answer that. He wants to tell her yes he can, but what if he can't protect her. Derek had seen a million different times that good things can go bad, and he doesn't want to lie to her. So finally he tells her "I'll do my best". He then picks up her hand and puts it next to his cheek. "I swear I will do the best I can." Star stares and stares at him and at her hand that is in his hand and that is now touching his cheek. Finally she says, "I have read about romance and things like that. And I knew it could sometimes do funny things to you belly and make you feel warm all over. I just never thought it was real." And very slowly, knowing in every inch of his mind he shouldn't, Derek rises up and leans over to kiss her on the cheek. Somehow though, she manage's to move just enough and Derek finds himself kissing her on the lips. He didn't dare give her any tongue, because he figured that might scare the heck out of her. And Derek thought it might just be the first real kiss she has ever had. But damn he wanted to kiss her, hard, long, fast. He wanted to put her tongue in her month, and lick her neck. He wanted too, but he stopped himself. Besides he told himself as he quit kissing her and started to stand back up, kissing her lips without tongue was really all he could handle right now. He was falling or had fallen fast for this girl, and he knew he was crossing lines and boundaries that could cause him trouble later.

He sat back down in the chair and just a second later Reid comes back in, he forgot his bag. Morgan thought, see how easy it would be to get caught. Next time the door gets locked. Thinking of a next time put a smile on his face. Reid looked at him and his smile and wondered what the heck was going on? He couldn't see a lot of things to smile about in this case, not with 100 plus dead kids. Morgan starts to tell Reid the nurse wants Star to rest when Star says: "Please ask questions if you have them. I don't know how long he will let me stay here."

Reid says. "Anything at all you might be able to tell us about those missing kids?" She told them that when school would get out her master would go looking for kids. When he found one he would bring the child back to the house and put them in the punishment room for five to seven days. Then he would kill them...and go out again and repeat this, all summer long. Depending on how far he went to find the children, he might get five, or 10 kids. Once he even took 15 by taking two at the same time. And during winter break he might go out and then again during spring break depending how bad he was hurting for money."

"What did he do with you Star," Derek asked? "While he was gone out hunting."

"He would throw me in the punishment room. I couldn't get out and even if I could force myself to scream I knew no one would hear me, except maybe him. Once he was gone so long I ran out of water and food. But a day or so later he showed up."

Then she continues. "I was taken from home when I was five. I was a smart little girl able to read. That is why Rodney never killed me like the others. That and my hair. He said my hair was unique and he would spend hours stroking it while reading a book or watching TV. Early on he taught me how to cook, and would bring me cookbooks all the time. But when he told me to try a new recipe and if it didn't turn out just the way Rodney wanted it too, then he would beat me. Always with something, a belt or whatever else he had handy. The other rules were oh no talking without permission, no screaming, no yelling, for sure no crying. The beating I got if I cried was the worst. That is when he would tear off my clothes take me down in the punishment room, hang me up to the ceiling by my wrists and just beat me until he could lift his arm no more. And I always had to thank him for the learning tool. Even if I was unconscious, he would throw water on my face until I woke up and thanked him. Sometimes he would cut my hands and fingers or my feet and then draw on me or him with my own blood." And she went on and on. Finally Derek could take no more and asked her to stop. "Why," she asked him. And Derek who had gotten up several times to walk around turned and hit the wall in frustration. Star instantly said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I won't question you any more." Derek in his frustration at not being able to get this SOB hits the wall again. Star at the second punch and rolls over on her stomach and raises her gown to her butt and just lies there waiting for her punishment, for her learning tool. Derek who sees the massive bruises on the back of Stars leg, rushes over to her, forces her to turn back around and very loudly tells her, " there is no punishment, no one is going to beat you. Understand." Derek is enraged and in his rage at the unsub he it accidently grips her too tight but not a word does Star's make at this kind of treatment. Reid steps to the bed and tries to break Derek's hold on Star. Derek upon seeing what he is doing, lets go of her and turns and quickly leaves the room. Not knowing where to go but knowing he has to get away he finds himself a few minutes later outside a chapel. He goes in, throws himself down in a pew, wonders just what kind of unsub they had ran into.

Meanwhile, in the room, Star rolls over on her side. And no matter what Reid says she will not respond, she just keeps staring at the bed rails as if they hold the answer to her life. Finally Reid tiptoes out and shuts the door, turns and finds Hotchner right in front of him. Hotchner tells Reid they have roadblocks set out all over along with a description of his car and he is going to put guards on Stars room as he, Hotchner, has a hunch he will come after her. "Keep your fingers crossed we catch a break on this one, we need it." He then says "You need to go to the hotel and rest. It's been a long five days and we still don't know what we are going to find on the mountain tomorrow. " Then he seems to notice something. "Where Derek's" he asks? The elevator door opens and out walks Derek. Following close behind Derek are a couple of cops to stand guard over Star. Reid says goodnights, or was it good mornings, and heads to the elevator. Hotchner quickly fills Derek in on the search for the unsub and Derek gives Hotchner a tape of what Star has already told them. Hotchner then tells Derek to go to the motel but Derek replies "No way in hell is I leaving her, I promised to protect her." He then turns and goes into Star's room. Hotchner heads to the motel down the road and figures that later when he is rested, he will have a heart to heart with Morgan.

Star has turned over at the sound of the door opening and is now staring at Derek. But she does not say a word. Derek very gently sits down at the edge of the bed, takes her hand and looks at her. Finally he says, "Star, "I will never, never, no matter what, will I beat you. I will not hit you. I will not slap you. And Star I want you to know this. You are not a bad girl. You are not a bad woman. You did not deserve what this animal has done to you for so many years. You are beautiful, kind, and a very nice person. Believe me when I say this, Star, because it is God's truth. You did nothing bad, you are not evil, you did not do anything to cause him to take you. It is all him Star. You are wonderful and already I find myself caring about you very much." Star gulps and asks Derek, "I'm not a bad person....?" and when Derek says "not, an ounce of you is bad," Star bursts into tears. Star, who has been beaten before for crying just can't help herself. Pain, misery and hate she can handle, but this kindness she has no defenses against. All Derek could think of to do was turn himself around until he could lay Star's crying head on his chest, hold her close, and let her cry. He didn't know why but he did know that her crying was something she needed to do if she was ever to heal.

After Star quit crying, and wiping her nose which always comes with crying, she settles back down on Derek's chest. But Derek stops her. He gets up and takes off his shoes, and goes to the door. He looks outside to see one deputy on a chair next to the door and deputies at each end of the hall. He taps the one on the shoulder and waves at the other two. He then shuts the door, locks it for safety sake and goes back to Star. He arranges them on the bed half so he is half sitting up with her head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of her head, and tells her that his boss had just told him to get some sleep, so nighty, night sweet thing. And they both fell asleep almost instantly and when Star wakes later, she is surprised to realize that for the first time in a very long time, she was able to sleep with no dreams and nightmares to haunt her.

Once again Derek finds himself coming awake staring into a pair of beautiful green eyes. And he did the only thing he could. He kisses her, full on the lips and after a few moments with tongue. Star follows along, learning from Derek as they go. Derek stops kissing her lips and looks her in the eyes once again and slowly brings his face down until he can gently blow in her ears. She shudders and he continues blowing in her ears, kissing her lips, then back to her ears. Derek knows he should stop but he is past caring about anything but what was at hand. He knows that Star might get scared, but he also knows that he had to take some of the pain away that was surrounding her, touching her, inside her. And she wasn't pulling away, Derek knew if she had he would quit.

Then Derek went a little bit further. He nipped her chin, then moved down kissing her neck. And very slowly, just in case she wanted him to stop, Derek's hand worked under her gown and rested on her stomach. After a second or two Derek's hand continued upwards until it encounters a breast. Very carefully he drew circles around her breast making the circles smaller and smaller until at last it encountered her nipple. By now Star's breath was coming very fast but her hands were under his shirt and copying what he was doing to her. As he very gently took her nipple in his fingertips, he felt his own nipple getting the same treatment. His breath was also getting faster, and by now Derek was very hard. He squeezed her nipple and when he looked up he saw her looking at him with the first smile on her face that Derek had ever seen. And this is all for me he thought. WOW

Derek could feel Star starting to squirm under his leg. But he had to do this right. Kissing her very deeply on the mouth he then moved his head downwards kissing every part he found. When he came to the top of her gown he found it was so big he had no trouble pushing it down until her nipple was free and Derek could engulf it with his mouth. She of course couldn't follow him in this and that was Ok with Derek. Right now he wanted to please her, to make her feel beautiful, wanted, loved. He heard her moan, and a soft oh wow. He was sure she had never felt this way before.

Then for some reason Derek stops. He removes his mouth from her nipple, closes her gown, kisses her neck once more, kisses her lips once more, blows in her ear once more, and whispers, "this isn't done yet". Then he stands up, smiles at her, tells her he will be right back, puts his shoes back on, grabs his jacket, holds it in front of his groin area, unlocks the door, tells the guards he will be right back and not to let anyone that was not medical in, Under no circumstances he tells them again does anyone not wearing white go in. He then walks down the hall and to the bathroom whistling. And for the first time that she ever remembered, Star giggled. It felt so good, and it sounded so cool, she had to do it again.

When Derek got back to her, he was feeling calmer. Something else had returned to size, so now his jacket was on even though it wasn't really cold. And to Derek's surprise he found Parentis and JJ arguing with the guard about being allowed in. "I don't care if you are FBI," the guard said "He told me not to let anyone in until he gets back." Derek's laugh at this made everyone look up. He high fived the guard, told him he did a super job, opened the door and told the girls, ladies first.

The girls went up to Star and asked how she was feeling. Star answered fine good, and she blushed. It had been a long time since Derek had seen a woman blush it was a delight. And he couldn't wait to make her blush again. Just then the doctor came in and chased them all out so he could check his patient. Star looked pleadingly at Derek, to not leave her alone, but he knew he wasn't the to stay. He whispered to JJ and JJ went to Star, picked up her hand and asked Star and the doctor if she JJ could stay. The doctor said ok, Star said OK, so everyone else left.

Outside Derek found Reid. Reid was telling him how Garcia had only been able to match up 34 of the 105 kids so far. Reid was thinking they might never find out who the others were. Derek, remembering another unnamed kid he had helped bury thought Reid was probably right.

Finally JJ opened the door and asked the others to come in. By now Hodges and Rossi had shown up. They all came in. The doctor told them she was doing well, but he wanted to keep her a couple more days. Part of the group wondered where she would go when she left the hospital. The only home she remembered was a home filled with nightmares and ghosts, and her other family was all dead, For now though she was in the hospital and that was good enough.

Hotchner asked Star if she needed anything from the house. Hotchner, Rossi, and Prentiss were going up there again to look around and they could bring it back. Star said that there was nothing in that house she wanted. As they were standing around, one of the deputies outside knocked and when everyone turned to look at him he said "I have a package here for FBI agent Derek Morgan. The delivery guy said to only give it to you." Derek looked at the rest of the team shrugged and took the envelope. Sure enough there was a label on it with his name on it. No return address. Derek pulled out his knife to cut through the tape. Reid, who was watching Star, watched her tense up and seem to shrink inside her self, like she knew what was in the envelope. After Derek got it opened and starting pulling out some pictures, she almost screamed. She looked at Reid with huge pleading eyes. Reid started to move toward Derek to stop him but he was too late. Derek was already looking at the pictures. Derek's face took on a very hard look and Reid looking behind him, saw Star sink into the bed with her eyes closed and her fists clutching the blanket for dear life.

Derek looked at a couple of pictures and then just dropped them. Then for the third in a very short while, Derek hit the wall. Then without looking at Star, he said "I have to get out of here." And he left. Rossi who was also looking at the pictures caught some but some fell to the floor. The ones that landed upright made the team sick. Every picture was of Star. From her being young until now. Each picture showed him and what he did to her. She was shown beaten and whipped. There were also pictures of her and some of the dead kids. Pictures of her with huge gashes in her palms wiping her blood on the dead kids. Years of beatings, being starved and being shoved into a hole, all in color for the world to see. The pictures were disgusting, not for the person in them, but disgusting for what was being done to her.

JJ whom Derek had given the envelope too after he pulled out the pictures, pulled out the note. She started to hand it to Derek but he was still gone. Hotchner took it and said "Outside." The pictures were picked up now so everyone went outside. Rossi went to find the cop that brought up the envelope. JJ said she would go back in and be with Star. JJ didn't want Star to think the team enjoyed those pictures or that they were mad at her in anyway. Finally Derek came down the hall. "I can't take this Hotchner," he said. "It sickens me to the core to see what he did to her." And Hotchner says 'Derek you are going to have to take it. After all, she took it for years." And Derek sighs and nods ok. Then Hotchner gives him the note and Derek read it out loud.

"To the people holding my property--know this. I WANT HER BACK! And understand I will get her back. There is no place you can hide her, no place you can take her, no place and no one I can't find or kill to get to her. So you might as well just leave and I will come get her. She's mine, and she belongs with me. Oh by the way, did you enjoy the pictures? I have more if you need them to remember her by when I take her back."

Derek says "like hell you will get her back", crumples up the note and drops it on the ground. And he says to Hotchner, "I am going to go sit with her. I am going to stay with her. No way this that unsub is getting to her. As soon as she can travel lets take her home." And he goes into the room and a few minutes later JJ walks out. Everyone looks to Hotchner to see what to do next.

Hotchner tells JJ to go talk to the doctor and find out the earliest Star can leave. ?Tell him she is in harms way." He tells Reid to go in and talk to Star some more, see if she can give them anything else that will lead them to that SOB. Then Hotchner, Rossi, and Prentiss head back to the mountain to see if they can find any clues in the daylight..

Inside the room, Star is just lying there with her eyes closed. Finally she says, "I remember once when I was eight or 9 I think. My master left to go on a trip and when the through me in the punishment room I found a box full of encyclopedias. So I started to read them. I loved them. I learned about the world, the earth, space, stars, families, marriages, teenagers, everything. When he came back, he released me out of the hole and told me to take the books to my room and continue reading them. I did. A few days later another dead kid to sketch. The next day he took me down into the punishment room stripped me, tied me to a chair, hooked various cables to various parts of my body and started drilling me on what was in the encyclopedias. Every time I got something wrong, he would shock me. It was horrible. Thank goodness. I can remember everything I read, so I didn't get shocked a lot. Later he added water and had a whole new way to torture me". She opened her eyes and saw them standing around her. Reid asked her if there was anything else she might be able to remember that might help them find Rodney. She said no. Derek suddenly remembered something he had wanted to do earlier, and so he told Star he was leaving for a few minutes but he would be back. Reid, wanting to stop thinking about the case for a bit asked her what her most favorite thing to read about was. Star told Reid she thought that tigers were the best. A truly awesome animal. Then before anyone knew it, Reid and Rose were yakking away like old friends and about things that only about things those two alone must know. It was good to see Star become lively and alert.

Derek came back with a small sack in his hand. You could smell the contents, only Star didn't know what it was. She asked Derek "what's that smell?" Derek replied, "Close your eyes and open your mouth and I will let you have some." Star does just that and Derek puts a small piece of something on her tongue, but Star does not move. Finally Derek tells her it was ok to close her mouth and taste what was there. They smiled in delight by the expression on her face when the piece of chocolate Derek had given her hits her taste buds. She didn't say anything but her eyes light up and she smiles. When it was gone, she says, "Chocolate". Reid claps and she was delighted she had pleased them. Derek went ahead and gave her another piece, and then Reid left. He came back with ice cream and again she closed her eyes and opened her mouth. You can almost hear her moan in delight at the wonderful taste in her mouth. Derek went back out to get something, and he runs into JJ who is going out to find some clothes for Star to wear. Derek tells JJ what they were up to and JJ says she will bring something back also. Derek grabs popcorn licorice. When JJ comes back, she has apples and grapes. This went on all afternoon, and everyone was able to relax a bit. It was really quite fun. When Star's dinner came she could not eat a thing. Said it was way too bland to eat, so Reid went out and got fast food and Star delighted in the taste of french fries and dip. Everyone was eating and laughing when Rossi, Hotchner, and Prentiss walk in. They tell everyone to continue on and they even join in the fun. Finally Hotchner said that they needed to head out so they can pack up and get ready to leave in the morning. They will leave at 7:00 a.m. to head to Boise to catch the plane. Derek asks Reid to pack his stuff, as he is staying with Star. He is kinda surprised when no one tries to talk him out of it. They all say goodbye, leave behind the clothes for Star and the extra snacks. When they finally leave, Derek goes to the door to check and make sure the guards are outside and then he shuts the door and locks it. He walks back to Star. Star said, "I like your friends. I am used to being alone though sometimes I feel overwhelmed. But it is a dream I hope it does not ever to end.

Derek just stands there looking at her. He then takes out his gun and lays it on the table right by bed and where it is within easy reach. He tells Star that he can totally understand that she might be feeling overwhelmed and after slipping off his shoes he gets in bed with her and she once again lays her head on his chest and falls asleep. Thinking about all she had been through in the last about 24 hours, Derek is surprised she just falls asleep like that. And before he knows it, he is also asleep.

He awakes some time later to the realization that Star was not in bed. He jumps out of the bed, grabs his gun and scans the room to see where she was. When he finds her, his breath is taken away. The moon is shining through the window and upon Star, who is standing naked in front of the mirror just looking at herself. She is the most glorious thing Derek could ever remember seeing. He puts his gun back down on the table and slowly walks up behind her. She can see him in the mirror but she continues to stare at herself. Finally she says, 'He told me I was ugly Derek. He told me I was so ugly my parents gave me to him that they couldn't stand the sight of me. He said sometimes he had to punish me for no other reason than the fact I was ugly." She turned to face him, naked and vulnerable and oh so pretty. She looks up at him and with a voice that was in danger of breaking and full of fear she asks, "Am I ugly Derek?" "God no", he tells her as he starts stroking her hair and looking deep into those great green eyes. "You are so beautiful you take my breath away." Then he leans down and kisses her, long and hard. Then he picks her up and carries her to the bed.

He lays her gently on the bed, then he grabs his shirt and takes it off over his head. Then without taking his eyes off her face he undoes his pants and lets them fall to the floor. In just his underwear he starts to lie down beside her. But he needs very much to talk to her about this first.

He asks her, "Do you know what we are about to do?" and she nods. "I read books you know." Derek smiles at that. "And do you know that if you don't want to I won't." She replies half breathlessly "I want too." And Derek says (even though he is sure he knows the answer,) "Have you ever, " and she replies' "No, never. Up until a few hours ago I have not seen another guy besides Rodney." Derek still looking at her, wanting to do right by her says "It might hurt a little, " and she reaches up with her hand and starts to bring Derek's face to her. When he was just inches away from her lips she says, "Be quiet Derek," and then their lips met and magic floats all around them.

Derek wants to do everything under the sun to please her for as long as he can. He kisses her so deeply he thought he might be to her toes. He kisses her nose, her eyes, even the cut on her forehead. He moves and blows in both of her ears. He rearranges himself on the bed so that she can't do much to him, he is afraid he might let things go if she plays around too much. And he wants this to be for her. He kisses her neck several times, even nipped it just a little bit. He kisses and licks his way down to her nipples and while he is kissing and nipping one, he is caressing the other one. Then on its own accord, his hand moves down to her womanliness. He caresses it and plays with it. Then ever so gently and only because she is as wet as she was, he slowly slips a finger in that moist tender part of her. He moves his head back up to kiss her some more but takes a second to look into her eyes where he finds no fear only desire. After kissing her as throughly as he can and realizing he had held on as long as possible, Derek slips off the bed. He slips his fingers into his underwear, and watching her to see if she if she has any fears, he slips his underwear off. Then as he starts to get back on the bed she reaches out and touches him, She touches his manhood like he has never had it touched before. He can't allow her to touch him for long, he is more ready than he had ever been in his life. So he moves her hand and starts to get into bed and she asks "why did you stop before?" Because he could never lie to her, he said, "I didn't have any protection, nothing that would prevent you from having a baby." "And now" she asked. "Now," Derek said, "It's not even an issue." And ever so carefully he lowers himself onto her and before he knew it he was slipping into her. He tries to go slow, he doesn't want to hurt her, but he isn't sure who is the most anxious to feel him inside her, him or her. And even though he knew she has never done anything like this before, in no time they found a rhythm and got on with the business at hand. And when she finally lets out a small sound, Derek knows he had pleased her and he let himself go. Afterwards they just lie there, neither being ashamed at being naked nor ashamed of what had just happened between them. Suddenly she giggled, a noise that really surprised him. When he asked her what was so funny she told him that sex was not at all like what she imagined when she read about it. "No" she said "Sex was much more enjoyable than I imagined, I figured the books were lying about how good it could be." Then she asks Derek, "Can we do it again sometime?" This made Derek laugh so she asked him what he was laughing about. Derek thought for a moment. He had always enjoyed sex, always loved sex. To him it was as natural as breathing. He had been a player, something he now knew was at an end. He rolled over so he could look into her eyes and he said "No sweetheart we did not have sex. What we just did was make love." And then he kissed her and soon they were lost in each other again.

Derek didn't think they got much sleep that night. When they weren't engulfed together, body to body, they were talking. At one point Derek tried to kiss all her bruises, to help heal them and take the pain away. And he thought he would have made it if she had not managed to grab him and caress his manhood until he couldn't take it no more. She had the gentlest touch, Derek thought, and yet so firm when she wanted it to be. Maybe they were in heaven after all.

When the suns start to rise in the sky, Derek stood up, went and got the clothes JJ left for Star, handed them to her, and told her to go get dressed. While she was in the bathroom getting dressed, Derek got dressed. He went to the door, unlocked it, and looked outside. The guards were all awake and still there. He told them good morning and went back inside, leaving the door unlocked. He was sure hoping the team would show up soon and that Reid would bring him a large coffee. He wondered if Star would like coffee. Star had decided to take a shower, she came out looking fresh and beautiful. It took all his strength to not run over and grab her and continue on with what they had been doing all night. But he just gave her a big Derek smile and told her she was beautiful. Just then Reid came in with Derek's bag (he told Derek he thought he might want to change clothes) and a big coffee. Derek took both and headed to the bathroom. After he got out of the bathroom, he figured he'd introduce Star to coffee. When he got into the bathroom however, Derek decided he would take a quick shower. Not that he smelled bad, but he smelled of sex, of making love he thought. And even though he wasn't ashamed of what him and Star had done he really didn't want to get into it with Hotchner over it right now.

The shower felt wonderful except Derek kept thinking of when he and Star could take there first shower together. When he got out and got dressed he found himself smiling and humming. In just a few hours Star would be safe at his place. The hunt for the un sub would continue, but maybe without him for a time. He had a lot of vacation built up and he was thinking that maybe now he was going to take some of it. When he came out Reid looked really upset or nervous about something. And when Derek took a quick glance around he noticed Star was gone. And Derek got that sick cold chill up his back that told him something was very wrong. He looked at Reid and said, "Speak, now." And what Reid told him make Derek's whole world start to dissolve. The unsub had taken another kid. He called Hotchner and said he would trade the kid for Star. This morning, now. "Where" Derek asked? "Fifteen miles out of town at the Dead Creek Bridge. Derek was trying to think, trying to move, trying to do something, but he couldn't. All he could see and think about were those pictures of Star being abused. And he was remembering how she had asked if he could protect her and he couldn't say yes....did she know what the future was to hold? He felt himself following into a big deep abyss.

Finally Reid got through the darkness and pain surrounding him and handed him a set of car keys. "Lets go save her," Reid said. And they ran outside the door.

Derek who hardly ever prayed, prayed as hard as he ever could. He prayed for her safety, for her well-being, her life. And he prayed for the strength to hit Hotchner in the nose.

As they came to the bridge, they had to stop a distance back at the roadblock. They jumped out the rig and ran up to the line of people at the bridge's entrance. Rossi and Hotchner both grabbed Derek, and with the help of a couple of troopers they managed to hold him. In front of Derek was his Star. She was just about halfway across the bridge and coming even with a little girl that was coming toward them. Derek could see the SOB on the other side of the bridge. He yelled "STAR NO." Just then Star stopped the girl, whispered in her ear, handed her something, straightened up and continued on across the bridge. She didn't falter, she didn't hesitate, she just continued on without any looks back. Knowing what she was going to, endless beatings and death, and yet she did what needed to be done.

The little girl started running and before Star was at the other end the girl was at the troopers line. One grabbed her and started to head back toward the roadblock with her but she said she had something to give to Derek. She handed him the note that Star had given her. Derek didn't even take it. Rossi finally did. Derek was too busy watching what was going on across the bridge. He watched Star finally reach the un sub. He saw him slapping her so hard she fell to the ground. He saw her being hauled up by her hair, turned around and a gun pointed to her head. They backed up until they were in the trees and then they were gone. Then a few seconds later Derek heard a shot and he fell to his knees. The only thoughts running through his mind was "at least now her pain is over, and how do I go on without her."

At the sound of the shot everyone else took off across the bridge. Derek didn't move, he just kneeled in the dirt looking at the locket of Star's hair she had sent him along with a note that said "Love you Babe Forever and a Day, Now and Always." His heart was breaking and he didn't know how to stop the pain.

And then, he felt someone kneel down beside him and someone gently touch his face. As the hand turned his head up, he saw Star in front of him with tears streaming down her face. "I killed him," she said and fell into his arms.

After a few minutes when both their hearts had calmed down, Derek stood up and helped Star up. He looked for Hotchner and when he found him he said to Star "I'm going to go kick his ass." But Star who was so much wiser than her years told Derek, "No, he did what he had to do and I did what I had to do. And now I am truly free." Derek looked at her and said, "Then lets go home." And they walked to the rig where Reid was waiting for them and they drove off.

A few hours later they were in the air headed back home. Star was so excited about the plane ride it took everyone to keep up with all her questions. The tension between Hotchner and Derek was still there, however Star was including Hotchner in her excitement and it seemed to ease a little. Then they landed. They were home. As Derek and Star were getting off the plane Derek turned back to where Hotchner was standing and said, "I'm taking two weeks off." Then he and Star disappeared in the night.

The team didn't hear anything from Derek for a week. During that week Derek and Star spent all their time together, learning about each other. Derek laughed more in that week then he ever had before. Introducing her to the world during the day was truly a delight. And at night they explored and learned everything they could about each other. They always slept in the nude and always woke in each others arms.

On the seventh day Morgan called the team, including Garcia and Hotchner and asked them to come to a little dinner party him and Star were giving. Everyone said they would come and everyone did. Star warned them right off the bat about the dinner, she was an excellent cook but Derek wasn't and yet he insisted he be allowed to help. So if anything wasn't up to par it was Derek's fault. During dinner Star and Derek kept them all laughing by telling them stories about the different experiences Star had that week. But the one that made them laugh the most was the one where Star told them Derek had given her a taste of a lemon thinking she would spit it out or gag or something. But she loved it! He was dumbfounded. So then he came back later with a lime. Again, she loved it! Again Derek walked away shaking his head. He just couldn't understand how she could love that sour stuff!.

Sometime during the evening Derek and Hotchner went off for a few minutes. No one knew what was said, but when they came back they were smiling and talking again.

The next seven days flew by like a whirlwind. Derek and Star never knew when one or more of the team would call and say "Hey, I got something I would like to give or show to Star. Mind if I stop by?" And Derek always said yes, come on by. Reid would sometimes wondered how this woman was making them a much closer family and much better team. Soon though he decided it didn't really matter if he knew how or why. It was just the "Star effect." And all he had to do was enjoy it. Which he did.

When two weeks were up and Derek went back to work. When asked how Star would handle him being gone, he said it wouldn't be an issue. After all she was used to being alone. Reid had given her a really cool sketch pad and pencils and he told them Star was really excited about him being gone for awhile so she could use them. She was most excited to have live subjects to sketch.

The team had been worried about Derek and if all this would change him. But on the first case, Derek showed them he was still Derek. He was still the first out the door and the first one to kick one in. He still took chances, if it meant helping someone or saving one of the team. However they did notice the minute they landed he was gone. Gone to the soul mate that he had finally found.

Three and a half months after Star had shown up in their world, she and Garcia showed up at the office where the team was hanging out. Derek was really surprised to see her, as she hardly ever left there home, and never had she went out without Derek. But he was happy to see her. He went over to greet her and she asked if she could talk to him alone. He was a little surprised at this, but he took her off in another room. The team members urged by Garcia to gather around heard a "Whoopie". And then Derek grabbed Star, twirled her around and when he sets her down he gives her such a long deep kiss the team thought they might need a closed room.

When they came out, they didn't seem surprised the team was gathered around. And Derek with this huge grin told them, "We are having a baby." Everyone was happy for them and congratulated them. But Reid noticed that Star didn't seem as happy as Derek, maybe she was a little nervous he thought. He finally got her alone and told her that having a baby was a big step and he was there if she needed to talk. After a few minutes she told Reid that she was so scared. She didn't know how to be a mom. She had never had one. And her biggest fear she told Reid was that she would be abusive to the baby like she had been abused. What if she beat the baby when it cried! By now she was crying and Reid just held her while she cried. When she was done he asked her if she had thought about going to a therapist, to help her work through these fears. She said she had but she was worried about what Derek would say. Reid assured Star that Derek wanted only what was best for her and her baby, and that Derek would understood her fears. He suggested she just talk to Derek and tell him exactly how she felt. Star thanked Reid for listening and when they got home Star did just exactly that. The next morning Derek and Star were looking for the best therapist to help Star work through her fears.

It was soon getting close to the holidays and Derek was having a problem of his own. He had mentioned a couple of times to Star about going to Chicago over the holidays so Star could met his mom and sisters and vice versa. Star wouldn't say no, but Derek knew by her expression and body language this scared her to death. Finally he talked it over with Garcia. Garcia explained to Derek how nervous Star was over meeting Derek's mom. After all she was his mom. If she didn't like Star, Star was afraid it would tear Derek apart. And she couldn't do that to Derek. And even though Star got along great with Garcia, Prentess and JJ, this was Derek's mom they were talking about. Derek finally started to understand and that night he talked to Star about her fears. And even though Star was still nervous about going she agreed that they should and a plan was made for them to go between Christmas and New Years and stay one night, unless Star herself felt comfortable enough to stay a day or two longer.

That years' Christmas Party was sure a lot different from the one in years past. The party was at Morgan's place with lots of good food, and lots of good company. Since it was Star's first Christmas, sort of speaking, the place was decorated in so many different ways, it was almost too much. But everyone agreed it was just perfect. And Star gave everyone an individual drawing of them and one of the whole team. And none of the team ones were the same. Rossi upon looking at his told Derek he needed to see about getting her an agent. She was that good. Derek said he had mentioned it but Star said for now she just wanted to draw for fun. And what Reid didn't learn until later was that Star had sent a drawing of him to his mom. And she sent one of Hotchner's to son Jack. And of course Henry got one of his mom too.

The highlight of the evening was when Derek got down on one knee, in front of them all, and asked Star to become his wife. She was speechless at first, until Reid poked her and told her to say yes. She did, and when Derek slipped the ring on her finger there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Then Derek asked Garcia to be his best woman, next to the bride of course. And Star asked Reid to be her man of honor. And then she turned to Hotchner and asked him if he would please walk her down the aisle. Everyone said yes and once again, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Derek hadn't told his family about Star, he just told them he was coming and he had a surprise. One look at Star and then one look at how happy Derek looked, and they too fell under what Reid called the "star effect." Star felt so comfortable around Derek's family they stayed three days and would have stayed longer if Derek didn't have to go back to work. The last evening their Derek and Star sat the family down and told them a little about Star's past. They all cried about the horror she went through, each one of them vowing secretly to never hurt a hair on her head. Derek then told them about the upcoming marriage (Feb 14th.) And how he hoped, they could all come to it. Then Derek told them about the baby. Everyone was full of happiness and joy. After his sisters had left, Derek told his mom how nervous Star was about the baby and how she had never been around one. Derek's mom said she would come and stay for as long as they wanted her too. Star said that would be great.

At the wedding everyone found out that there was not only going to be one Morgan baby but two. A girl and a boy. Everyone was as happy as could be. The wedding was wonderful and Star looked like an angel in green. When they were they were named husband and wife, tears were flowing everywhere.

And whether it was happenstance or the "star effect' as Reid calls it, everyone was there when Star went into labor. The waiting room was full of all their friends and family, awaiting the birth of these two special babies. When Derek came out and told them that Adam and Eve were born and that mom and babies were doing well, everyone cheered! And when they got to see them, they all agreed the babies were perfect in every way.

A few weeks later another "star effect" happened and everyone was available to be at the christening of the babies. Derek had made his peace with God and he felt the christening was the right thing to do. Since there were two babies they figured they needed a godfather and godmother for each one. However since they couldn't decide on which of their friends it should be, everyone found themselves becoming godparents. It was awesome.

Do Derek and Star live happily ever after? Does the "Star effect" last for these two and their family and friends? I am not really sure. But what I do know is this, if any two ever belonged together on this earth, it would be Derek and Star Morgan.


End file.
